Winker for electric lamps



Oct. 29, 1940. L. LUDWIG WINKER FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed Dec. 2, 1939 INVENTOR. LMQS Lwkwl bu w'uiv. WM

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to winkers for electric lamps so constructed as to cause the electric current to flow intermittently thru the electric lamps to cause the light to go on and off at pre-- 5 determined time intervals, and includes improVements on my prior Patents Nos. 1,733,743 and 2,001,580 and 1,875,625.

Among the features of the invention are: A construction and arrangement of parts such that 10 no pressure or tension which may be applied to the terminals of the winker can cause fracture of a fine Nichrome wire between the terminals and which may comprise a transversely disposed part of this delicate fine wire at one end of the 15 .wire coil and a loop of the wire over a boss 'mounted in the enclosing casing of porcelain or the like and connecting with a terminal so that there is loose wire or slack wire so that no tension in the wire can be caused by the relative 20 movement of the wire or of the supporting thermostatic blade with reference to a terminal; a unitary, rigid porcelain casing having both terminals rigidly fixed thereon, a conducting blade attached to one terminal and a thermostatic 25 blade to the other terminal, both blades being parallel to each other, and two silver contact points on adjacent surfaces of the blades normally in spaced juxtaposition, the spacing determining the timing of the flasher, the rigid ter- 30 minal mounting of each blade on the casing assuring maintenance of the predetermined adjustment at all times by precluding translation of the normal position of either point with reference to the other by pressure on the terminals; 35' a cylindrical metal casing enclosing the winker element proper and providing two opposed socket shells, one internally and the other externally threaded, connected by an annular member so formed integrally with both shells as to press on one end of the element and to securely hold the element in the metal casing against movement and thereby providing a rigid, heatconducting shell to augment the rapid diffusion of heat generated by the element; an improved method of manufacture of winkers comprising forming a metal shell externally threaded at one end in the form of a standard plug and having an inturned flange at the outer edge for engaging the end of the porcelain casing of the winker 5'0" element, internally threaded at the other end in the form of a standard socket, and an intermediate annular ring forming a circular recess for receiving and holding a rim mounted on the end of the porcelain casing, the method to be per- 55 formed preferably by spinning or pressing the metal shell after the element is positioned therein, and eliminating the nuts or screws heretofore necessary. This improved method rigidly encases the winker element. Other features of the invention are a construction of few parts, of low 5 cost of manufacture, strength, durability and compactness. Other features of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is made to the drawing, which is made a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view with the insulating jacket removed and partly sectioned to expose the Winker element.

Figure 3 is a top view.

Figure 4 is a bottom view.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the winker element.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but turned thru a quarter circle and with the insulating end disk removed.

Figure 7 is a bottom view of Figure 6 but turned thru a quarter circle.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section thru Figure 6.

The winker has a cylindrical insulating jacket l0 covering the lower part of a cylindrical metal shell I I and exposing at the top external threading 12 adapted to screw into a standard electric lamp socket (not shown), the insulating porcelain l3, and the metal terminal M. The lower part of the shell H has internal threading l5 adapted to receive the screw plug of a standard electric lamp (not shown). The top of the shell H has an inwardly turned annular flange I6 which engages the flat annular shoulder I! on the end of the porcelain l3 and thereby secures the latter against outward end movement. Intermediate the threadings l2 and IS in the shell II is formed an annular bead 18 which provides an annular recess or pocket l9 within the shell ll, said bead l8 being formed preferably by spinning or pressing the shell after the winker element has been inserted in the upper end of the shell H.

The winker element has a circular fiat porcelain end l3 to which is secured by a rivet l4 one end of a fiat, right-angled or elbowed metal conductor 2| the other end of which passes down thru a slot 22 in the porcelain end I3 and be- 5 tween the porcelain side pillars 23 and 24 which are formed integrally and as a unit with the top and bottom to provide a prefectly rigid porcelain casing. The lower part of the elbow 2| terminates in a binding post end 25 bent outward at an angle of substantially 45 and having notches cut away at opposite sides so that the end is wider than the upper part and therefore provides a secure binding post for the fine wire of the winker. The bottom of the porcelain casing of the winker element has a transverse groove 26 between the pillars 23 and 24 and inside of a projecting end cross-piece 21. At one side and at the top the pillars have an integral connecting member and on the same side at the bottom a lateral integral projection from each. An obtuse-angled or elbowed flat conductor 28 or spring metal contact has the outer end overlying the porcelain cross-piece 21 in the axis of the shell I I. An insulating disk 29 has a greater diameter than and lies on the end of the porcelain casing to provide an annular laterally projecting rim and an opening, rectangular in shape, which snugly fits over the cross-piece 21 and exposes the outer terminal end of the conductor 28. The inner wall of the inner end of the elbow 2| mounts a silver contact point Zi A thermostatic blade 3! of well-known construction and which carries a silver contact point H in spaced juxtaposition to the point 2H is secured at the lower end by a rivet 32 to the conductor 28 and the cross-piece 21!. The blade 3| mounts a coil 33 of fine Nichrome wire of suitable size, one end of which makes contact with the blade, but the coil is separated from the blade 3! by an asbestos layer. The other end 34 of the Nichrome wire is looped over a boss 35 formed in the side of the porcelain pillar 23 and the wire is carried to the terminal 25 to which it is secured. It is obvious that movement of the blade 35 or of the coil 33 exerts no tension on the looped end 34 of the wire or on the wire on the coil, thereby preventing fracture of the wire by any pressure on the winker terminals. Similarly owing to the rigid porcelain construction and rigid terminal attachment no displacement of the contact points from their set predetermined position is possible.

After the winker element is assembled as outlined above the end l3 is placed in the shell H against the flange I6 and the bead E8 is formed to enclose the rim edge of the disk 29 in the annular recess or pocket I9 by spinning or pressing the metal of the shell I I. This improved method of manufacture provides a rigid, integral and unitary metal shell which protects the parts and provides an efficient conductor for taking off the heat generated by the winker element.

Having shown and described a preferred form of my invention and having described a method of manufacture, but realizing that in view of my disclosure many modifications in the details of construction, the omission of parts, the substitutions of parts or materials and other changes may be made by those skilled in the art, I do not limit myself to the exact form shown nor to the exact method set forth.

I claim:

1. A winker for use in an electric lamp socket comprising in combination, an insulating casing of porcelain or the like, a thermostatic blade, a

terminal at one end of the casing to which said blade is secured, an asbestos sleeve on said blade, a coil of fine wire connected with said blade and wound on said sleeve, a terminal at the other vend of said casing having a part within the casing and spaced from the blade, the other end of said wire being connected with said part, and a boss formed on the inner side Wall of and near the inner end of said casing and supporting a loop of the wire between the part and the coil so that relative movement of the blade and the part cannot cause tension on the wire.

2. A winker for use in an electric lamp socket comprising in combination, an insulating casing of porcelain or the like, a thermostatic blade, a terminal at one end of the casing to which said blade is secured, an asbestos sleeve on said blade, a coil of fine wire connected with said blade and wound on said sleeve, a terminal at the other end of said casing having a part within the casunitary, rigid cylindrical metal shell surrounding the casing, having an annular inturned flange at one end, external threads adjacent said end, internal threads adjacent the other end, and an annular bead formed intermediate said threadings for engaging an end of the casing and holding the opposite end of the casing in locked, rigid engagement with said flange.

3. A winker for use in an electric lamp socket comprising in combination, an insulating casing of porcelain or the like having two axial terminals, a thermostatic blade, a terminal at one end of the casing to which said blade is secured, an asbestos sleeve on said blade, a coil of fine wire connected with said blade and wound on said sleeve, a terminal at the other end of said casing having a part within the casing and spaced from the blade, the other end of the wire being connected with said part, and a unitary, rigid cylin-- drical metal shell surrounding the casing, having an annular inturned flange at one end, external threads adjacent said end, internal threads adjacent the other end, and an annular bead formed intermediate said threadings, fiat walls on the inner end of the casing around the inner terminal, and an insulating disk apertured to receive the inner terminal and engaging the inner end of said casing, and said bead engaging over said disk rim.

4. In a winker for electric lamps, a winker element comprising a single, rigid unitary porcelain casing having top and bottom portions connected by pillars, a metal terminal elbow having one part secured to the outer wall of the top by a rivet and the other part extending into the casing and between the pillars and having a contact point on its inner side surface, a second metal terminal elbow at the bottom, a thermostatic blade extending into the casing between the pillars, said blade and said second elbow being riveted rigidly to the bottom of the casing, said blade having a contact point normally in spaced apart juxtaposition to the first contact point, and fine wire coiled on the blade and connected with the first terminal.

5. In a winker for electric lamps, a porcelain casing for the winker element having a flat top, a central aperture and a second aperture thru the top, and a bottom, an end projection from the bottom having a transverse aperture therein, and two parallel side pillars connecting the. top and bottom, a member connecting the tops of the pillars on one side and outside of said second aperture and a member projecting laterally from the bottom of the pillar, one from each, on the same side, all of the parts being formed of one rigid, unitary piece so that all the parts of the winker element are precisely maintained in their predetermined positions.

LOUIS LUDWIG. 

